Search - Noirin Ni Riain :: Celtic Joy

AMAZING!! Beautiful Music with Spirit and Integrity

Gimme A_Break | USA | 08/23/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a wonderful CD.



Noirin's voice is etheral, and other-wordly, yet grounded right here in God's green earth.



If you are unfamiliar with her work, it is WELL worth the purchase. I have all of her CD's. I enjoy them all. This one is up there with the top 2 or 3.

This CD is a collaboration by noirin and her two sons, Michael & Eoin.



This is not your standard fare Christmas album. It could easily be listened to year-round. The few songs on this cd that are traditional Christmas songe, (Ave Maria & The Holly and the Ivy,) are performed in a different way than ususal. The Holly and The Ivy is actually the original version, sung as it was way back when. Ave Maria is beautifully different than how you hear all the other artists sing it.



The songs are in Irish, English and Latin, but it does not matter. The Feelings are: Inspiration, Peace, Joy, Reflection, Sanctity, Holiness, Closeness with God.



I use "integrity" in the title of this review because they recorded each song ONLY once, with no technological fiddling about. Just pure and immediate sanctity, as the Holy Spirit ordained at that time in that space.



As is Noirin's wont, this CD was recorded in an ancient, still functioning monastery in Ireland. (This one in an Abbey I believe...)

The good sisters were kind enough to allow them to use their daily prayer space to record the CD. Towards the end, they join Noirin and her sons on a couple songs. Simply exquisite.



My two favorite tracks, "The Beatitudes" and "Caonied...Muhrie" appear on other cd's of Noirin. Here they are treated to the beautifull male voices of her sons with Noirin's soaring soprano. These two tracks are worth the price of admission alone! The later is, I believe called "The seven sorrows of Mary." It is a traditional Irish song about Mary talking to Jesus, her son at the foot of his cross. This song will give you goosebumps the size of boulders!



God Bless You All... You, the reader, and Noirin & her family."

Fantastique

Dr. Mahlon B. Gilbert | 01/07/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is truly a gem. Every collection of spiritual or aesthetic sound will want to have this. Heavenly."